Gordon Raymond Evans

1927 - 2020

Gordon Raymond Evans, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, returned home on September 3, 2020 after a six year struggle with dementia and cancer. He fought a good fight and kept the faith. We know he is happy to be reunited with his first wife Carol, his son Guy, his parents and siblings who all preceded him in death.
Ray was born January 10, 1927 in Murray, Utah to John & Lottie Evans. He grew up in Murray during the Great Depression when a highlight of his life was getting a bicycle one Christmas. He missed his high school graduation to join the navy during WWII. He then attended Weber State University. Carol Grace Smith married him on November 14, 1949 and they were later sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They had two sons, Gordy and Guy. Ray taught his sons to work hard and take care of family. The family often went camping and boating with neighbors. Ray and Carol patiently taught many people to waterski - she in the water with them and Ray driving the boat. Ray worked 33 years for Mountain Bell and retired in 1983. He and Carol then traveled, living in Desert Center, California for a period while periodically taking trips to La Push, Washington where he loved to camp and fish for salmon.
Carol passed away in 2006 and his heart returned to the faith of his childhood. He married Mildred Miller in 2007 and they left a few months later to serve a mission in Nauvoo and Carthage, Illinois. This was a highlight of both their lives. After returning, they were able to serve in the Salt Lake Temple, usher at the Conference Center, and enjoy trips with friends and family before his health began to decline.
Many photos of Ray show his mischievous smile - beginning when he was a little boy and lasting throughout his long life. He loved to play cards, always making you think he could barely understand the game and then coming up with the winning hand. He learned to tie knots in the navy and always had lots of rope on hand--just in case. He was extremely strong and said he could move anything if he had a long enough rope. He surprised his grandsons with how strong he was, outdoing them at moving heavy furniture. He was greatly loved and will be missed.
Ray is survived by his wife Mildred, his son and daughter-in-law Gordy and Pam Evans of Goodyear, Arizona, and daughter-in-law Lori Evans of Centerville, Utah. Also grandchildren Chad (Shana Lee), Amy (Ross Clark), Cameron (Lisa), Brandon (Megan), Bonnie (Shad Anderson), and Jennifer, and 21 great-grandchildren. Not to mention the 5 children, 14 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren of the Miller clan who adopted him as grandpa when he married Mildred.
An outdoor Memorial Service will be held at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Gardens, 3401 S. Highland Drive, on September 9, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Please wear masks and observe social distancing. There will be chairs for the family; all others may bring a chair. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Huntsman Cancer Center. https://give.huntsmancancer.org/page/17369/donate/1
The service will be streamed at www.facebook.com/WasatchLawnMemorial.